


Shackled

by PlasticMachine



Series: Whumptober2019 [9]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Neglect, The Homestuck Epilogues: Candy, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-11-28 20:27:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20972558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlasticMachine/pseuds/PlasticMachine
Summary: Dave's alone in the world... even though he has others who care about him... Dave's alone and doomed to repeat the same mistakes.





	Shackled

Dave is left alone again.

Dave’s surrounded by nothing but his bro’s puppets.

His bro is out, but even when he's in... it still feels like Dave's ignored by the world around him. Either that or trapped in.

Dave’s been locking his screen and unlocking it for several passing moments now.

Staring at the ceiling and thinking about nothing.

Dave keeps zoning out.

He's trying to think of something...

Something to message his best bro with.

He wants to talk to John, he really does... but there's nothing on his mind that he _can_ talk to John about.

He's all washed out of topics to chat with... or at least topics that wouldn't bum John out.

John was Dave's only guy friend, he didn't want to lose his best bro because he's a total bummer to talk too.

Dave starts searching his brain again, racking his mind for something to talk about...

He never gets out so it's not like Dave can repeat some shit he saw on the street or some bullshit he over heard...

He sighs, a last resort is to just talk about the music that he dropped last night.

With that, Dave finally builds up the nerve to start chatting with his best friend out of boredom.

TG: hey man

TG: just wanted to drop in

TG: wanted to hear how your day is going

TG: fuckin next to nothing is going on with me

TG: im more fuckin bored over here than i am hot

TG: from all the heat

TG: outside my place

TG: fuckin scorching outside

EB: oh hey, dave!

EB: sorry i didn’t read your messages.

EB: i was busy with something else…

EB: and i know how much you love to rant.

EB: so i just let you go at it.

TG: yeah man its cool

TG: just happy to speak with you

EB: so i have it on good authority now...

EB: that you like someone!

TG: goddamnit

EB: you have to tell me who!

EB: is it Jade!?!

TG: who told you!?

EB: rose

TG: ok

TG: if she told you shit

TG: then shes reaching

TG: scrapping the bottom of the barrel now for psychoanalyzing my bitch ass mind

TG: shes just fishing for something to buzz about

TG: so shes looking for shit that isnt there

EB: whoa whoa, slow your roll.

EB: she didn’t exactly tell me that much, okay?

EB: she just said that she thinks your interested in “someone.”

EB: and that you're always quick to deny it.

EB: making her think that…

EB: you really do like someone.

EB: i kinda see what she means now.

TG: what

TG: dude

TG: don’t fall into the rose trap

TG: shes just trying to make you see shit that isnt there

TG: so the two of you have something to hold over me

EB: gonna stop you before you type anymore.

EB: i’d never hold anything over you, we’re best buds!

EB: if you like someone, that’s cool.

EB: if you don’t, that’s cool too!

EB: i just want to be able to like you know….

EB: talk to you about more things than just how your taste in music sucks.

EB: and how my taste in movies is shit…

EB: you always talk to rose about emotional stuff…

EB: and not me…

EB: your best bro.

TG: sorry man

TG: guess maybe i should consider it

TG: in other news

TG: you hear my new track?

EB: i did!

EB: booooooy was it shiiiit!

* * *

It was a beautiful ceremony...

Jade looked beautiful in her white dress with a floor length trim.

But something about the entire event, with the catering, the roses, the architecture...

Something about it felt hallow.

Dave couldn't put his finger on why he felt that way, at least he tried to not thing about it.

In his heart-of-hearts... he knew the answer.

He was settling.

He just wanted to make her happy, give Jade what she's been waiting for all these years.

Give her what she deserves.

A happy home where she didn't feel like she was alone in the world.

He didn't think about anything that he wanted out of life anymore.

Dave knew he blew things with Karkat. He didn't try to patch that up... or try at all to be with him.

He didn't know anyone outside of his small friend group.

There was a whole world, that he help build, to explore... but it felt wrong to branch out to look for a lover.

The world was like his baby, and he wasn't about to tap that.

Dave strolled outside, looking out into the horizon.

As he ventured outside he noticed his best friend...

Someone he hardly talks to anymore...

Someone whose become quite the recluse in his own right.

Yep... the two of them are still birds of a feather.

John quickly turned around to greet Dave with a confused look.

John looked exactly how Dave felt...

Looking at John on the balcony in that light, with as much wine as Dave had tonight, Dave's surprised he didn’t just run up and jump into his best friend's arms...

No...

Instead he makes a shitty joke about John killing himself by jumping off the balcony.

Making the whole scene awkward for everyone... even for the bride who wasn’t there.

God... Now John is Dave's brother-in-law.

John became his father-in-law not to long ago too...

Dave was more than fucking pathetic... wasn't he?

Dave just avoided everyone else the rest of the night, until he had to drag Jade back home.

It's his wedding day and he's acting like taking his wife back home is a literal _drag._

Dave didn't know what he expected...

He's felt alone for years...

Maybe he thought marrying someone else that's always felt alone too would quell the feeling... at least a bit.

That desperate attempt to feel something romantic for Jade, was completely lost on him.

Dave's doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over.

Dave's doomed to keep convincing himself that things will change if he stays stagnant.

He keeps ignoring, no... stuffing down all of the emotions inside of him.

Dave is bound by his own mind.

Dave is a victim to himself.

Dave is completely shackled to... nothing.

Nothing but his own pain.


End file.
